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Leonard Klady

By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com

Posted Sunday, February 22nd, 2009 - Comments Off on The Check is in the Jail
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The Check is in the Jail

Madea Goes to Jail was the overwhelming winner as it grossed an estimated $41.2 million in its debut weekend. In another record breaking session one of the few down notes came from the session’s other freshman release — the teen comedy Fired Up — that struggled to $5.9 million.

Niche openers ranged from good to strong including another potent Bollywood entry Delhi 6 that bowed to $660,000. Another Indian newcomer — the Punjabi Jag Jeondyan de Melle — set a record for films from the region with an $111,000 gross from just 10 screens. In Canada a pair of films repping the nation’s two solitudes faired well. Cadavres in Quebec grossed $132,000 and Stone of Silence that premed at the Toronto festival had a $68,400 box office from 18 screens. There was also a noteworthy $6,600 tally from the single screen bow of the documentary Must Read After My Death.

Combined with a number of firm holds from continuing titles and a bit of an Oscar boost weekend business pushed past $140 million for a 26% decline from the three-day portion of last weekend’s President’s holiday stanza. It was additionally 29% better (and all-time record gross) than 2008 when the premiere of Vantage Point bowed with a $22.9 million box office.

Reversing the trend of steady declines for his twice annual movie releases, filmmaker Tyler Perry set his popularity several notches higher. Of late his films have opened to roughly $25 million and Madea Goes to Jail wasn’t expected to shake up those expectations even though tracking reports clearly indicated it would lead in weekend ticket sales. However, Perry’s popular cable series have likely contributed to broadening his appeal from what’s been an entrenched core set of fans.

Also slowly expanding its appeal from a strict family crowd is the 3D animated Coraline. The film was always more adult than traditional cel movies but it’s taken several weeks for word-of-mouth to get that across and if it can maintain positive buzz, the film should tally up a domestic gross of better than $80 million.

With Oscar just hours away, virtually all the best picture and foreign-language nominees got at least slight box office boosts. Admittedly only Slumdog Millionaire is in wide release; adding about 600 theaters to the mix and pushing its domestic tally to $98 million. The film’s done an additional $70 million internationally with such key countries as Germany and Japan still to open.

Apart from the torrid overseas business already generated for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, the rest of the contenders list including Milk, The Wrestler and The Reader are holding their breath in hopes of securing at least a single major win in the top eight categories to fuel some foreign commercial traction. And the one category that almost always benefits from Academy largesse — foreign-language — looks like a nail-biter between Waltz with Bashir and The Class (Entre les murs).

– Leonard Klady

Weekend Finals – February 20-22, 2009

Title Distrib Weekend % Change Theaters Cume Wks
1 New Medea Goes to Jail Lions Gate 41,030,947 – 2032 41,030,947 1
2 5 Coraline Focus 11,432,124 -23% 2155 53,766,843 3
3 3 Taken Fox 11,281,262 -41% 3102 95,034,161 4
4 2 He’s Just Not That Into You WB 8,558,225 -56% 3050 70,100,901 3
5 9 Slumdog Millionaire Fox Searchlight 8,384,680 15% 2244 98,354,395 15
6 1 Friday the 13th WB 7,942,472 -80% 3105 55,119,663 2
7 6 Paul Blart: Mall Cop Sony 6,821,377 -38% 2835 121,200,930 6
8 4 Confessions of a Shopaholic BV 6,742,778 -55% 2507 27,378,049 2
9 New Fired Up Sony 5,483,778 – 1810 5,483,778 1
10 7 The International Sony 4,463,916 -52% 2364 17,031,200 2
11 8 The Pink Panther 2 Sony 3,802,292 -55% 2658 29,475,898 3
12 11 Gran Torino WB 3,676,310 -43% 2030 134,472,755 11
13 10 Push Summit 3,119,656 -54% 1882 24,752,472 3
14 15 The Reader Weinstein Co. 2,642,770 20% 962 23,011,596 11
15 12 Hotel for Dogs Par 2,325,378 -47% 1716 65,535,469 6
16 16 The Wrestler Fox Searchlight 1,851,324 0% 617 21,578,377 10
17 13 The Uninvited Par 1,292,129 -70% 1257 25,990,057 4
18 17 Curious Case of Benjamin Button Par 1,232,517 -23% 754 124,211,606 9
19 21 Milk Focus 1,066,727 21% 411 28,120,218 1
20 14 Underworld: Rise of the Lycans Sony 778,822 -67% 676 45,064,150 5
21 25 Doubt Miramax 711,360 14% 402 31,126,827 11
22 26 Frost/Nixon Uni 653,580 27% 381 17,386,586 12
23 New Delhi 6 UTV 602,850 – 90 602,850 1
24 24 Under the Sea 3D WB 547,339 -17% 50 1,697,679 2
25 20 Revolutionary Road Par Vantage 546,034 -45% 350 21,376,846 9
26 19 New in Town Lions Gate 503,174 -66% 505 15,299,806 4
27 23 Twilight Summit 489,682 -29% 406 189,443,645 14
28 22 Defiance Par Vantage 484,134 -32% 567 27,176,722 8
29 18 My Bloody Valentine 3D Lions Gate 386,032 -75% 355 51,290,643 6
30 30 Marley and Me Fox 320,987 -18% 304 141,545,861 9
31 31 Bolt BVI 316,792 -17% 280 114,053,579 14
32 37 Entre les murs (The Class) Sony Classics 273,252 24% 62 1,248,101 6
33 45 Rachel Getting Married Sony Classics 204,246 64% 264 12,354,351 21
34 28 Bride Wars Fox 197,216 -60% 240 57,485,994 7
35 33 Yes Man WB 175,677 -39% 222 97,021,369 10
36 29 Inkheart WB 174,415 -62% 211 16,034,054 5
37 32 Last Chance Harvey Overture 157,078 -55% 161 13,694,857 9
38 New Jag Jeondayan de Mele H & H 147,499 – 14 147,499 1
39 38 Bedtime Stories BV 143,925 -28% 145 109,424,707 9
40 34 Polytechnique Alliance 134,161 -52% 40 937,857 3
41 40 The Tale of Despereaux Uni 130,395 -28% 221 50,653,875 10
42 35 The Unborn Uni 123,540 -48% 174 42,497,050 7
43 39 Seven Pounds Sony 121,768 -27% 181 70,619,981 10
44 47 Waltz with Bashir Sony Class/E1 115,901 2% 55 1,599,005 9
45 43 2008 Academy Awards Shorts Magnolia 105,665 -18% 60 522,624 3
46 New Cadavres Seville 99,667 – 56 99,667 1
47 41 Madagascar: Escape to Africa Par 97,817 -37% 151 179,982,968 16
48 44 The Dark Knight WB 93,957 -26% 55 533,184,219 32
49 27 Billu Barber Eros 73,977 -86% 70 698,910 2
50 New Stone of Destiny Alliance 73,310 – 20 73,310 1
51 54 I’ve Loved You So Long Sony Classics 69,649 22% 69 2,901,744 22
52 42 Valkyrie MGM 66,385 -49% 115 82,370,632 9
53 55 Che IFC/E1 66,245 26% 17 1,323,633 10
54 52 Fanboys Weinstein Co. 65,590 -12% 34 398,301 3
55 51 Gomorrah IFC 60,520 -22% 6 204,810 2
56 49 Australia Fox 56,850 -36% 93 49,420,849 13
57 48 Two Lovers Magnolia 55,379 -42% 7 195,926 2
58 46 Not Easily Broken Sony 55,344 -53% 52 10,818,873 7
59 50 The Day the Earth Stood Still Fox 54,662 -36% 72 79,215,537 11
60 36 Notorious Fox Searchlight 50,759 -78% 67 36,748,176 7
61 59 Fly Me to the Moon Summit 47,280 29% 10 12,960,281 28
62 57 Wendy and Lucy Oscilloscope 42,359 7% 19 433,881 10
63 58 Magnificent Desolation Imax 37,817 2% 6 27,602,871 179
64 56 Dolphins and Whales 3D 3D Entertainment 34,873 -22% 7 5,527,559 53
65 60 Space Station 3D Imax 34,635 -5% 7 77,741,909 358
66 66 Roving Mars BV 24,373 7% 6 10,070,884 161
67 61 Let the Right One In Magnolia 24,333 -30% 26 1,978,364 18
68 64 Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure NatGeo 22,623 -8% 15 20,850,999 73
69 63 Frozen River Sony Classics 21,009 -21% 24 2,459,187 30
Source: EDI/MCN

Estimates – February 20 – 22, 2009

Title Distributor Gross (averag % change * Theaters Cume
Madea Goes to Jail Lionsgate 41.2 (20,290) – 2032 41.2
Taken Fox 11.4 (3,670) -40% 3102 95.1
Coraline Focus 10.9 (5,050) -26% 2155 53.2
He’s Just Not That Into You WB 8.6 (2,810) -56% 3050 70.1
Slumdog Millionaire Fox Searchlight 8.0 (3,550) 9% 2244 98
Friday the 13th WB 7.8 (2,520) -81% 3105 55
Confessions of a Shopaholic BV 6.9 (2,750) -54% 2507 27.5
Paul Blart: Mall Cop Sony 6.7 (2,370) -39% 2835 121.1
Fired Up Sony 5.9 (3,250) – 1810 5.9
The International Sony 4.4 (1,840) -53% 2364 16.9
Gran Torino WB 3.6 (1,790) -44% 2030 134.4
The Pink Panther 2 Sony 3.6 (1,370) -57% 2658 29.3
Push Summit 3.0 (1,600) -56% 1882 24.6
The Reader Weinstein Co. 2.7 (2,770) 21% 962 23
Hotel for Dogs Par 2.2 (1,260) -50% 1716 65.4
The Wrestler Fox Searchlight 1.8 (2,930) -2% 617 21.5
The Uninvited Par 1.3 (1,040) -70% 1257 26
Curious Case of Benjamin Button Par 1.2 (1,650) -23% 754 124.2
Milk Focus 1.0 (2,410) 13% 411 28
Underworld 3 Sony .75 (1,110) -69% 676 45
Doubt Miramax .71 (1,770) 14% 402 31.1
Delhi 6 UTV .66 (7,210) – 92 0.66
Frost/Nixon Uni .65 (1,710) 26% 381 17.4
Under the Sea WB .57 (11,400) – 50 1.7
Revolutionary Road Par Vantage .55 (1,570) -42% 350 21.4
New in Town Lions Gate .51 (1,010) -51% 505 14.9
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) $136.60 – – –
% Change (Last Year) – 29% – – –
% Change (Last Week) – -26% – – –
Also debuting/expanding
The Class Sony Class/E1 .27 (5,130) 24% 53 1.2
Cadavres Seville .13 (2,328) – 55 0.13
Waltz with Bashir Sony Class/E1 .12 (2,230) 4% 53 1.6
Jag Jeondyan de Mele H & H .11 (11,100) – 10 0.11
Stone of Destiny Alliance 68,400 (3,800) – 18 0.07
Must Read After My Death Gigantic 6,600 (6,600) – 1 0.01
Eleven Minutes Regent 4,200 (1,050) – 4 0.01

Domestic Market Share – January 1 – February 19, 2009

Distributor (releases) Gross Mrkt Share
Warner Bros. (14) 297.2 19.40%
Sony (8) 236.3 15.50%
Fox (5) 225.9 14.80%
Paramount (5) 162.8 10.60%
Fox Searchlight (4) 123.3 8.10%
Buena Vista (6) 83.7 5.50%
Lionsgate (4) 72.9 4.80%
Universal (5) 72.6 4.80%
Focus (2) 54.8 3.60%
Paramount Vantage (2) 47.2 3.10%
MGM (3) 41.6 2.70%
Summit (3) 40.4 2.60%
Weinstein Co. (5) 19.8 1.30%
Miramax (3) 19.5 1.30%
Overture (2) 13.7 0.90%
Other * (36) 15.5 1.00%
* none greater than 0.35% 1527.2 100.00%
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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?

So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.

And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.

There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.

I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.

So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.

But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”

My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher

“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.

~ David Simon